Home
: 2017 Foxen "Bien Nacido Vineyard - Block UU" Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay

2017 Foxen "Bien Nacido Vineyard - Block UU" Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay

SKU #1447488 93 points Vinous

Outer quote mark Foxen's 2017 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard Block UU is creamy, supple and expressive, with striking depth and nuance. In 2017, the Block UU has an extra kick of texture that is hugely appealing. Lemon confit, orchard fruit and chamomile all grace this compelling and wonderfully inviting Chardonnay from Foxen. What a pretty wine this is. Inner quote mark

92 points Jeb Dunnuck

Outer quote mark Moving to the two Chardonnays I was able to taste, the 2017 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard Block UU spent 8 months on lees in 20% new French oak 500-liter barrels. Caramelized apples, toasted spice, white flowers, and lots of minerality and iodine notes all emerge from this more structured, foursquare, concentrated effort that's going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age. It's a classic expression of this site and should keep for over a decade. 92+ Inner quote mark

92 points Wine Enthusiast

Outer quote mark A warm butter aroma meets with lemon spray, citrus pith, wet gravel and crushed limestone on the nose of this bottling from a coveted single block in a historic vineyard. There is lots of tension on the palate, where restrained flavors of lime peel and Asian pear make for a tasty experience. Inner quote mark

K&L Notes

Winemaker's Notes: "This is an elegant Chardonnay that displays fresh, bright aromatics of lime peel, guava, beeswax and lemon zest backed by hints of honeysuckle and jasmine. Flavors of key lime pie coat the palate with a hint of hazelnut, and its minerality is nicely balanced with soft acidity. Enjoy it paired with salmon carpaccio drizzled with avocado oil and sprinkled with capers or with a coconut chicken curry with topped with chopped almonds, but it is best with a giant hunk of Humbolt Fog cheese. Enjoy now until 2025."

Share |

2017 Foxen "Bien Nacido Vineyard - Block UU" Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay

Price: Hidden

VN: 93

JD: 92

WE: 92

Real Time Inventory by location:

The item you have chosen is not in stock in our retail stores or within our main warehouse.

Product turnaround time varies by location of inventory and your chosen method of shipping/pickup. For a detailed explanation click here.

We think you’ll also like

Product Reviews:

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Chardonnay

- It's hard to believe that up until about 30 years ago, this extremely popular varietal hid behind the veil of geographical names like Chablis and Puligny-Montrachet. Now grown all over the world and bottled by its varietal name, Chardonnay has achieved a level of branding unlike any other wine. Surprisingly, though, what you get when you buy Chardonnay can differ greatly from country to country and even within one country, depending on the climate where it's grown and how it is vinified and aged. From fresh, crisp and minerally with apple and lemon notes to rich and buttery with tropical fruit overtones, Chardonnay runs the gamut. In France's Burgundy, Chardonnay is the source of the prized wines of Chablis, Corton-Charlemagne, Mâcon, Meursault and Montrachet. It also the foundation of exceptional Champagne, where it is blended with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier or vinified on its own into Blanc de Blancs. It is also extremely popular in California, and is gaining popularity in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Spain and South Africa.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year.

Specific Appellation:

Santa Maria/Santa Barbara

- Santa Maria and Santa Ynez make up the two AVAs of Santa Barbara County, an area known for its natural beauty and temperate climate. The best grape-growing areas, however, are located on the very coastal reaches of these two appellations, and are cooled by ever-present fog and ocean breezes (it is even cooler and foggier here than Carneros!). As expected, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir thrive while the more inland zones lay claim to Bordeaux varietals and some Rhône blends.

Alcohol Content (%):

13.4